April 13, 2023

Last fall, after the fence came down, we put up some motion-sensor lights at the front door. The door is seldom used but in the winter when we ordered food it was dark for delivery people. When we are downstairs watching TV in the evenings we can see them come on if we were watching for it but we seldom are.

Last night as we were making our way upstairs around midnight, Pat noticed that the lights had been activated. When he looked out there was a deer in the yard. The lights don’t cover the entire yard and by the time we looked out again they had shut off. But from the movement we saw in the yard it was a large deer, possibly a couple of them.

Without the fence, and now that they have found us, we may be getting more visits. It will also be easier for the bears to come in.

We went outside and checked this morning but couldn’t see that any of our plants had been eaten. I have a couple of daffodils growing and they may have taken the tops off them but they were a long way from blossoms. The peonies were fine (they are caged); we know they like roses but ours are leafed out but no blossoms yet. We think the daisies will be safe and hope that the cages around the dahlias will protect them.

I’ll have more to watch for than bears in the yard when it gets warm enough to sit outside on the deck in the evenings.

Wednesday, April 12, 2023

It’s been awhile since I checked in. Not much happens around here – we never go anywhere. Most days I do computer work or some sewing in the morning, in the afternoon I cross stitch, play iPad games, or read (that often leads to a nap), and after supper until bedtime I knit or crochet.

Monday’s lab exam took longer than we anticipated. I was first in line but the technician didn’t know where to look for the papers from Oncology so someone else went in ahead of me. Once I was in the chair I had one unsuccessful attempt at finding a vein. I sat with warm towels on my arm while she attended to another patient. Try number two was also unsuccessful but she eventually found a vein at the top of my arm, very near my underarm.

The wait to see the nurse and the doctor on Tuesday wasn’t as long as I thought it would be but I still wasn’t in my treatment chair until about ten (we arrived at the hospital at eight). I always start with a warming pad on my arm in the hope that it will help my veins show up. There was just one unsuccessful attempt and many, many searches. Eventually they gave up and decided to use my left arm; they have hesitated to use that arm because of a small chance of swelling in the lymph nodes.

This was my last chemo treatment and I got a small bag of chocolates and a little bracelet with my name in beads on it (like the kind they used to give newborns in the hospital). I still have my own beaded bracelet so the two will be together in my keepsakes. I gave Jennifer, the nurse, a big hug before I left – although I didn’t like some of her mannerisms she was really very kind, knowledgeable and professional.

After I got home and had some lunch I read for a bit and then lay down on the couch and actually had a planned nap. I don’t think that is the reason I’m not sleeping at this point – it is currently four in the morning and I don’t feel the least bit tired. I have done some computer work, cleared out a couple of files and done a bit of sewing. I guess I’ll go back to the sewing now (mostly pressing and trimming) and hope that before too long I’ll start to feel tired.

I don’t necessarily like it but this seems more normal than my previous treatment.

Wednesday, April 5, 2023

We’ve been waiting to hear from the radiology team in Vancouver – not very patiently though so we called them ourselves today.

I will go for my planning session on April 19th. It is a short appointment but I see the doctor and have a CT scan. Thankfully there is no dye involved so there will be no fussing about trying to find a vein. We tried to book into the Lodge where we will stay during the three weeks of treatment but had to go on a waiting list. In the meantime we have reserved at a B & B not far from the Cancer Clinic. They have a two-day cancellation policy so if we get in at the Lodge we will have time to cancel.

The dates (but not the time) for my radiation are booked as well. As we had hoped I will start on May 8th and finish on May 29th; because of the long weekend we have the last treatment on the following Monday. That last appointment is scheduled for eight in the morning so we should have no trouble getting home that day.

Something to look forward to?

Friday, March 31, 2023

For the last few mornings I’ve woken up with a headache. For a couple of those days I was able to get up, grab a coffee and the headache went away without any medication. Last night I was up at three with a boomer of a headache so I took an Aleve, which seems to be the only thing that works on my headaches. When I rolled out of bed at 7:30 the headache was still there but I’ve managed to get rid of it by now. I think the headache is related to allergies and not my recent treatment; they started after we got out walking again and after my stints on the back deck in the sunshine.

I took care of some housework this morning. I emptied the dishwasher, refilled my pill containers, had a shower, stripped the bed, sorted three loads of laundry and got one started. I was tired after all that and had to sit and play a few games until the first load of laundry was done.

I’m thinking my lack of energy may also be an allergy – to housework!